Personal object holder for passing through security barriers in airports and similar

ABSTRACT

This invention refers to a carrying bag for personal items when going through the security belts at airports and similar locations with the purpose of replacing the plastic trays that airports are using currently in the security belts that cause: mistrust between passengers, personnel&#39;s security job inefficient and delay of passengers waiting. In this carrying bag for personal items the passenger can put their personal items long before he comes to the security belt and can close/open and be emptied whenever it is convenient for the passenger. And it can eliminate the hassles of the plastic trays completely. This carrying bag for personal items can be used wherever security is required to check personal items that a passenger would regularly have in or their person.

THE TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention refers to a bag or container to transport personal items, that a traveller might have, through security belts in airports or similar locations.

BACKROUND TO THE INVENTION

Normally, the way you would pass personal items (change, cigarettes, lighters, pens, glasses, keys, credit cards, cell phones, etc.) through the security belts in the airports or similar locations, is to deposit all those items or articles into a tray, usually made of plastic, that are provide for passengers by security personnel. These trays are awkward for the passengers or traveller since they must take all of their personal items out of their pockets along with many other passengers doing the same, and put this items into a tray, besides these trays are out in the open, unstable and they do not guarantee the safety of the mentioned personal items, because frequently these trays tip over with the movement of the security belts and baggage, therefore the items get lost or stolen. At the end of this procedure the passenger, often competing with other passengers, must locate their container, and try to retrieve their personal items.

On the other hand, because of this confusing procedure, the airport security personnel has the additional work of returning empty containers to furnish to the new passengers making their way to the security machine, not to mention they also have the task of inspecting and guarding baggage and passengers. Also the agglomeration of passangers in to the access and egress of this security check points, induced by plastic trays. Because of this the personnel's job becomes inefficient and very complicated, also the pass through the security belts by passangers is unsafe and slow, increasing the delay of passengers waiting.

A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Based on the problems previous stated, an idea was conceived to resolve these problems with a bag, or container (item carrier), that is demonstrated with the following description and attached drawings.

FIG. 1. Figure is the front view of the carrying bag.

FIG. 2. Figure two is the conventional perspective view of the carrying bag once it is folded and ready to be stowed away, or put away.

This carrying bag is made of flexible material it is tear resistant, and preferably made out of clear material, (so that security personnel can see what it contains) (1) it can be closed with a lid or flap (2) At the same time the lid contains a self adhesive snap, etc. (4) and in this carrying bag the passenger can put personal items that he is carrying, long before he arrives to the security belt. And by means of a belt, band, strap or any kind of subjection (5) installed on this carrying bag, which also has another fastener, snap, etc. (6), that can be tie up to the handle of the hand suitcase, briefcases, or the belt on the waist of the passenger until he comes to the security belt.

This bag also contains, with out limit to this patent, a compartment for identification (3), which have the name, airline and flight number information.

This carrying bag could be folded and stowed away when not in use, using the snap, or fastener installed for this purpose (7).

We thought about another way of having this carrying bag for personal items, with the same purpose, integrated to the hand suitcases, briefcases or like an accessory. This carrying bag would also be made with the same characteristics clear, flexible, tear resistant, and with a subjection belt when is like an accessory.

The advantages of this new carrying bag for personal items are has follows.

-   A. The passenger can put their personal items in this long before he     comes to the security belt. (no crowding or rushing once at the     security check point). -   B. The passenger has the safety and assurance that his personal     items will not be lost because they are in a bag with his/her name,     flight information and airline. It is closed, and he can tie up it     to his hand suitcase, making his passage through the security check     points simple. -   C. There will not be congestion of passengers ingoing or out coming     of the security belts, since all passengers will have all their     personal items ready to put through the belts. -   D. Going through the security belts will be quicker and more     orderly, if the passenger tie up it to his own hand suitcase. -   E. The security personnel will be able to concentrate more on     enforcing security once they don't have passengers congestions and     crowding or handling of plastics trays. Therefore they will be more     efficient and less personnel would be needed. -   F. Because this new carrying bag is clear, the security agents will     be able to better perform visual inspection, than in the trace.

Having said all this, even though there exist an array of bags and different materials, until today there is not a bag that could be used to replace the existing plastic trays, used in airports world wide. Neither the idea to do it for resolve efficiently the tasks that this new carrying bag would. With these characteristics, clear, tear resistant, close well with a snap, be able to tie up to any hand suitcases, have a compartment for identification and could be folded when is not in use.

This carrying bag or container for personal items could be manufactured with a sowing machine, with plastic materials such has P.V.C. You can combine it with leather or fabric, mainly for the belt or strap.

It could also be manufactured with P.V.C., sealing all the parts with an electrode on high frequency machines, and also combining this method with the sowing machine. It can also be incorporated with similar purposes when the baggage is manufactured. 

1. A carrying bag for personal items for going through security belts a container made of tear resistant material, the container being flexible and transparent, and having a flap and a releasable fastener closing the container to secure the personal items therein and means for removably attaching the container to a pant belt.
 2. A carrying bag for personal items according to claim 1, wherein said container further comprises a compartment adapted for displaying identification of an owner of the personal items.
 3. The carrying bag for personal items according to claim 1, wherein said container is foldable for storage.
 4. The carrying bag for personal items according to claim 1, wherein said container is made from polyvinyl chloride.
 5. A method of reducing delays when going through a security belt using the carrying bag of claim 1, comprising the steps of: providing each person about to go through the security belt with the carrying bag in advance of approaching the security belt; placing personal items into the carrying bag, the placing step being performed by the persons about to go through the security belt; closing the flap to secure the personal items in the container; carrying the container up to the security belt; and displaying the container to security personnel for passage through the security belt; whereby delays incident to placing the personal items in a plastic tray controlled by the security personnel and waiting in line for the next available plastic tray are eliminated.
 6. The method of reducing delays according to claim 5, further comprising the step of positioning identification of the person within the container in order to be visible to the security personnel.
 7. A method of reducing delays when going through security belts, comprising the steps of: providing each person about to go through the security belt with a transparent, reclosable carrying bag in advance of approaching the security belt; instructing persons provided with the carrying bag to place personal items into the carrying bag, to place identification into the bag so that the identification is visible through the transparent bag, and to close the bag to secure the personal items in the bag, receiving the carrying bags with the personal items enclosed therein at the security belt as the persons arrive at the security belt; visually inspecting the contents of the bags furnished by the persons passing through the security belt; and returning the carrying bags to the persons according to the identification placed in the bag; whereby delays incident to placing the personal items in a plastic tray controlled by security personnel and to waiting in line for the next available plastic tray are eliminated.
 8. The method of reducing delays according to claim 7, wherein the carrying bag further comprises a tether, the method further comprising the step of tethering the carrying bag to a pants belt until arriving at the security belt.
 9. The method of reducing delays according to claim 7, wherein the carrying bag further comprises a tether, the method further comprising the step of tethering the carrying bag to carry-on luggage until arriving at the security belt.
 10. The method of reducing delays according to claim 7, wherein said container is flexible, the method further comprising the step of folding the container for storage and transport.
 11. A personal object holder for carrying personal objects through security belts, comprising: a transparent, flexible bag made from tear-resistant plastic, the bag being adapted for holding the personal objects; means for releasably closing the bag; means for releasably attaching the bag to a carrier selected from the group consisting of a persons wearing apparel and carry-on luggage; and means for identifying a person carrying the flexible bag. 